10 great reasons to eat organically

Tuesday, 9th December 2014

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it a hundred times – organic makes so much sense.

The biggest problem facing mankind is probably water. It makes sense to focus on organic farming in which the soil not only has improved water holding capacity, but also reduces the speed and scale of run-off after heavy rains.

Another problem with our water is that we are unable to clean everything out of it. Certain pharmaceutical drugs and chemicals remain in ‘purified’ water, reducing the amount of usable water in the world. Intensive agriculture regularly sprays weeds with weed killer, bugs with bug killer and fungi with mould killer. These poisons are in our soil and water and in the most far-flung parts of the world. Organic farming reduces pesticide use by 98% and artificial fertiliser by 95%.

Without topsoil, little plant life is possible. Intensive conventional farming contributes to the depletion of topsoil with little effort to prevent erosion or protect topsoil. Organic farming conserves and builds fertile soil.

Over 20% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions comes from industrialised food and farming. To produce just one ton of nitrogen fertiliser takes one ton of oil and one hundred tons of water – and produces seven tons of greenhouse gasses. This is not sustainable. There is now evidence that organic farming produces higher levels of soil organic matter and soil carbon than non-organic farming. By choosing organic, we can significantly reduce our carbon footprint.

Organic farming is better for wildlife and allows bugs, butterflies and birds to thrive on farmland that is not poisoned with pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. Organic farming relies on wildlife to help control pests, so wide field edges are left uncultivated for bugs, bees and birds to flourish. The UK government’s advisors found that insect, bird and plant life is up to 50% greater on organic farms.

Conventional farming routinely adds antibiotics to animal feed to speed up animal growth and because many animals in conventional farming are stressed and become ill. Antibiotic residues in meat and dairy products could result in the development of antibiotic resistance in bacteria that make people sick, thereby reducing the effectiveness of our antibiotics.

In this worrying economic climate, organic farming increases jobs on farms by 73%. It also contributes more to the economic and social well-being of rural areas.

Organic food is the best quality food you can eat because it is free from the chemicals used in conventional farming and is grown in rich soil. No food has higher amounts of beneficial minerals, essential amino acids and vitamins than organic food. Organic food contains higher levels of vitamin C and minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron and chromium as well as cancer-fighting antioxidants. Organic milk has 68% more Omega 3 essential fatty acids. And nutrients aside, would you rather eat an apple that has been sprayed up to 16 times with as many as 30 different pesticides – or an organic one?

Organic processed foods contain no artificial additives and preservatives. Some chemical additives that preserve food or add colour or flavour affect individual well being, for example, tartrazine food colouring is linked with hyperactivity. All controversial additives are banned in organic food, which means you avoid a wide range and large quantity of potentially allergenic or harmful additives. Organic processed foods are also better for you because they don’t contain hydrogenated fats. Trans fats have no known nutritional benefits and because of the effect they have on blood cholesterol, they increase the risk of coronary heart disease.

Let’s face it: we live in a toxic world from exhaust fumes to chemicals in our carpets to vaporisers in public toilets. With so much that you can’t control, it makes sense to manage what you can. Don’t overload your already exhausted liver with more toxins. At Planet Organic, we say eat the cleanest food you can eat.

And when it comes to your babies, give them the best possible start in life. Create a foundation of wellness that will enable them live well and follow their dreams.

At Planet Organic, we like simple things that make sense. Organic makes sense.

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When Planet Organic opened its doors in 1995, it was Renée Elliott's dream to offer the best and widest range of organic foods available, and her mission to promote health in the community and to bring a sense of discovery and adventure into food shopping.